Strange Visitors

Strange Visitors

The Project Gutenberg EBook of Strange Visitors, by Henry J. Horn This eBook is for the use of anyone anywhere at no cost and with almost no restrictions whatsoever. You may copy it, give it away or re-use it under the terms of the Project Gutenberg License included with this eBook or online at www.gutenberg.net
Title: Strange Visitors
Author: Henry J. Horn
Release Date: August 21, 2004 [EBook #13237]
Language: English
Character set encoding: ISO-8859-1
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STRANGE VISITORS:
A SERIES OF ORIGINAL PAPERS, EMBRACING PHILOSOPHY, SCIENCE, GOVERNMENT, RELIGION, POETRY, ART, FICTION, SATIRE, HUMOR, NARRATIVE, AND PROPHECY.
BY THE _SPIRITS OF IRVING, WILLIS, THACKERAY, BRONTE, RICHTER, BYRON, HUMBOLDT, HAWTHORNE, WESLEY, BROWNING_, AND OTHERS NOW DWELLING IN THE SPIRIT WORLD
DICTATED THROUGH A CLAIRVOYANT, WHILE IN AN ABNORMAL OR TRANCE STATE.
1871

TABLE OF CONTENTS.
HENRY J. RAYMOND To the New York Public MARGARET FULLER Literature in Spirit Life LORD BYRON To His Accusers NATHANIEL HAWTHORNE Apparitions WASHINGTON IRVING Visit to Henry Clay NAPOLEON BONAPARTE To The French Nation W. M. THACKERAY His Post Mortem Experience ARCHBISHOP HUGHES Two Natural Religions EDGAR A. POE The Lost Soul JEAN PAUL RICHTER Invisible Influences CHARLOTTE BRONTE _Agnes Reef. A Tale_ ELIZABETH B. BROWNING To Her Husband ARTEMUS WARD In and Out of Purgatory LADY BLESSINGTON Distinguished Women PROFESSOR OLMSTEAD Locality of the Spirit World ADAH ISAACS MENKEN Hold Me Not N.P. WILLIS _Off-Hand Sketches_ MARGARET FULLER City of Spring Garden GILBERT STUART Art Conversation EDWARD EVERETT Government FREDERIKA BREMER Flight to my Starry Home REV. LYMAN BEECHER _The Sabbath--Its Uses_ PROF. GEORGE BUSH Life and Marriage in Spirit Life JUNIUS BRUTUS BOOTH Acting by Spirit Influence REV. JOHN WESLEY Church of Christ N. P. WILLIS A Spirit Revisiting Earth ALLAN CUNNINGHAM Alone BARON VON HUMBOLDT The Earthquake SIR DAVID BREWSTER Naturalness of Spirit Life H.T. BUCKLE Mormons W.E. BURTON Drama in Spirit Life CHAS. L. ELLIOTT Painting in Spirit Life COMEDIAN'S POETRY Rollicking Song LADY HESTER STANHOPE Prophecy PROFESSOR MITCHELL The Planets DR. JOHN W. FRANCIS Causes of Disease and Insanity ADELAIDE PROCTER The Spirit Bride

INTRODUCTION.
BY THE EDITOR.
In placing before the public a work with such novel and extraordinary demands upon its consideration, a few explanatory words seem appropriate.
Its title and contents will doubtless at first sight cause a smile of incredulity, and will be regarded by many as one of the devices which are sometimes put forward to entrap an unsuspecting public into the perusal of a sensational hoax.
For a number of years past the community has been surprised with accounts of most incredible marvels; and from time to time the press has reported various phenomena in connection with an _unrecognized force and intelligence,_ as occurring in almost every locality throughout the habitable globe.
These phenomena are thought by many to be mere illusions, and by some attributed to peculiar electrical conditions; while others seek their solution in an abnormal state of the brain; and others still believe them dependent on an actual intercourse between mortals and those who have passed beyond the grave.
Having become interested in this mysterious and exciting subject, and finding the means at hand for testing the various phenomena, I resolved to undertake a series of experiments, with the hope of exposing a delusion, if such it were, or perchance, of clearing up a mystery which, by the magnitude and importance it has already assumed, is disturbing the foundations of old beliefs and steadily diffusing it's theories and doctrines into the very heart of society.
Among other expedients to attain this end (assuming the hypothesis that spirits of the departed were in a condition to communicate with mortals), I interrogated, through the instrumentality of a clairvoyant gifted with the remarkable power of passing at will into an unconscious or trance state, the spirits of a number of well-known individuals concerning their views and sentiments in their present state of existence.
In response to my questions, an intelligent answer was received from the Countess Ossoli (Margaret Fuller), with the assurance that my desire was apprehended and would receive the hearty co-operation of those to whom it was addressed.
The process by which the papers were given was that of dictation through the clairvoyant while in an abnormal or trance condition and with her eyes closed. The matter was written in pencil as it fell from her lips, and subsequently transcribed for the press.
The difficulties attending the transmission of ideas through the medium of another mind, even under ordinary circumstances, must be apparent to all, and the unprejudiced reader may readily perceive obstacles to the literal reproduction of their respective styles and language by the various contributors.
Yet, notwithstanding the impediments to felicity of expression, I feel assured that persons at all familiar with the characteristics of the originals will readily perceive a marked resemblance in style to